Jake Bird was a truly creepy character — an axe-murderer who may have killed as many as 46 people. But even after he was caught in 1947 and sentenced to death, he's said to have continued killing people by putting the "Jake Bird hex" on them. Six people associated with the trial were said to have succumbed to his hex.

After his conviction was announced, Bird was allowed to make a final statement. He spoke for 20 minutes, noting that his request to represent himself had been denied and that his own lawyers were against him.
Bird then said, “I’m putting the Jake Bird hex on all of you who had anything to do with my being punished. Mark my words you will die before I do.” Allegedly, six people connected with the trial died: Judge Edward D. Hodge of a heart attack within a month of sentencing him to death, as did one of the officers who took his first confession. A police officer who took a second confession died, as did the court’s chief clerk, and one of Bird's prison guards. J.W. Selden, one of Bird’s lawyers, died on the first anniversary of his sentencing.

Kayla Finley rented the movie 'Monster-In-Law' on VHS in 2005. Something she likely had forgotten all about in the years since. But back in the day when you rented a VHS tape 2 things were expected of you: 1) Be kind and rewind 2) Return the tape. Kayla forgot number 2. So the store, which has since gone out of business, obviously filed a criminal complaint. Now, I told you that story so I could tell you this, during a routine records check on the young lady the 9 year old warrant for failure to return a VHS tape turned up. Ms Finley was subsequently arrested and jailed for the offense So be warned by this cautionary tail. If you have any old movies laying around the house that you forgot all about, return them. And for God's sakes, be kind and rewind!

A woman in Washington state was having issues with her home heat. When the repair guy came and checked things out he found that someone had been living in the crawl space under the house. The intruder had made him(or her)self at home by diverting the heat to the crawl space. There were also numerous alcohol containers strewn around the area. Enough to freak someone out don't you think?

Nowadays, stories about men, women and children being kept prisoner in strange circumstances--sometimes for years or decades--are so common that I'm certain Chuck will soon declare them "no longer weird."

But fifty years ago, such stories seemed more rare. One such inspired the classic novel by John Fowles, The Collector, which appeared in 1963.

The trailer of the film version can be seen above.

Fowles was inspired in part by a true story. I believe I've found that account, as seen below.

Mother's Day is next Sunday, May 8th, and I'm sure we all have nice things planned for our Moms. But few of us will have as thoughtful and extravagant a gift in mind as Tamik Kirkland, pictured to the right.

Upon hearing that his Mom had been shot, Kirkland broke out of jail (with only ten months left to serve) and went on a violence-filled revenge spree, including bursting from concealment in a car trunk with gun blazing.